Swiss-Austrian Treaty of 1836

The Swiss-Austrian Treaty of 1836, signed on July 16, 1837, was a pact signed between Switzerland and the Austrian Empire that formed an alliance, in which the two countries promised to help each other in times of war.

History
President of the Swiss Diet Karl Friedrich Tscharner, the yearly President of Switzerland, attempted to ally with the Austrian Empire in 1836, hoping to secure a strong ally. During this time, France was attempting to exert its influence over Switzerland, which had been a neutral country since 1815. Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria, the ruler of the Austrian Empire, wanted Switzerland as an ally so that it could be a buffer zone against France in the event of a Franco-Austrian War, as well as to counter an invasion by Sardinia-Piedmont against his lands in northern Italy. The treaty was agreed to on 16 July 1837, and the two countries allied.